# How do I toast, not roast my cigars?



## minicooper (Oct 3, 2009)

I am a bit upset at myself at the moment. With all the snow preventing me from doing anything this weekend and after reading a post that encouraged me to smoke some of my better cigars instead of waiting for that "special occasion" I decided to light up a cigar that I have been saving. From the first few puffs, I got that burnt/ammonia taste so I tried purging, slowing down (to the point that I had to relight at one point, and finally lopping off about an inch to start the lighting process over in hopes of salvaging my cigar. The taste persisted and eventually I just tossed the final 3rd of the cigar (only smoked about 1/3 - 1/2 since I cut off a good bit).

I am pretty sure this was result in the way I light my cigar, and am really disappointed that I wasted this cigar. Here's my question: when you toast your cigar, do you just toast it until it's evenly black along the foot, or do you get the whole thing red enough so when you blow it, you get an even, glowing red along the whole foot. 

After seeing a video on lighting techniques, I have been getting the whole thing to go red, which has def. helped avoiding burn issues, but now I'm wondering if I'm going too far and producing that burnt/ammonia taste in my cigars. 

Can anyone shed any light on my predicament? Thanks in advance!


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## Snake Hips (May 30, 2008)

I hold the flame to the foot until it's completely glowing red, but what I do is blow through the cigar a few times before I make the first draw. I think that's important in preventing harsh and/or bitter tastes.


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## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

I believe that the stick was responsible for the ammonia, not your lighting techniques.

It sounds like it was just too young and needed more rest without the cello on it... 
After you cut it, did you do a prelight draw? 
That might have revealed the presence of the ammonia, "tipping you off" to put it back in the humi instead of lighting it. 
I experienced that very sequence one time when someone handed me a young stick.

As far as lighting techniques.... that is a_ large_ topic.

.


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

You're getting good advice here. There's more to lighting a stick than just putting flame to it. If you are using a torch try not to let the flame touch the foot,,,use the heat of the flame to light the end which as everyone knows takes time and fuel to get this done. This is why some run out of fuel early because they are taking the time necessary to light a cigar. Blowing on the end of the cigar is what a lot do to increase oxygen because oxygen is what fire needs to burn,,so we blow on it. I went to a soft flame because i got tired of taking so much time and fuel to light my cigar,,,a soft flame does not burn like a torch in that you can draw a soft flame into the foot of the cigar a lot easier than you can draw from a torch. Hold the soft flame just below the foot at a 45 degree angle and draw in the uppermost part of the flame and do that for a few puffs until you get the cigar at a nice cherry red,,,rotating it as you draw. Once I get it going I will do a small purge and then let the cigar relax for about 30 seconds and then smoke it as you will.

As the Fiddlah suggested,,,,take the time to check out the cigar you are going to smoke and take a draw off of it,,you will be surprised at what you get from that esp. when if it's a cigar that you smoke regularly. If it's a bit green you will taste it and it's wise to let it marinate a bit more. There is a lot you will learn from repetition and testing your cigar before lighting will go along way to enjoying it more. I also will put the cigar under my nose to do a pre light smell,,,but that's just me.


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## eyesack (Jul 19, 2009)

I agree with everyone here. Sometimes, also if a stick is over-humidified it'll give an ammonia-like taste. Burnt-taste on the other hand, that might be too much toastin' lol. With a torch lighter, I try to aim the tip of the torch at the center of the cigar, rotating as I see the tobacco darkening and eventually smoldering. Like Gary said, with a soft-flame lighter, you want to use the 45-degree method. 

What I do is I put the foot on the flame, so the middle of the flame is contacting the middle of the foot as well, so the flame is licking the top of the foot, too. I try to stay away from getting any heat on the bottom half of the foot, because if that happens, I'm libel to singe/burn the wrapper, which is bad. I just keep rotating the cigar so I'm always warming the top of the foot, if that makes any sense? The wrapper is the thinnest, fastest burning part of the cigar, so that's why I try to get the innards lit before the skin.

I'll try to get a video up this week showing both methods. Been meaning to for a while, so it'll be a good excuse lol. Good luck brother! Just find what way works best for you, and sacrifice a few cheapies (okay, I'm probably on my 150th cigar or so and i'm STILL figuring it out LOL!) till you get the hang of it!


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

Oh my. For your initial confusion you are getting the full version here. Listen to these guys and you will be fine. VERY good advice here. :clap2::smoke2:


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## triad47 (Oct 27, 2009)

Gary, what are you using for a soft flame lighter?


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

minicooper said:


> I am a bit upset at myself at the moment. With all the snow preventing me from doing anything this weekend and after reading a post that encouraged me to smoke some of my better cigars instead of waiting for that "special occasion" I decided to light up a cigar that I have been saving. From the first few puffs, I got that burnt/ammonia taste so I tried purging, slowing down (to the point that I had to relight at one point, and finally lopping off about an inch to start the lighting process over in hopes of salvaging my cigar. The taste persisted and eventually I just tossed the final 3rd of the cigar (only smoked about 1/3 - 1/2 since I cut off a good bit).
> 
> I am pretty sure this was result in the way I light my cigar, and am really disappointed that I wasted this cigar. Here's my question: when you toast your cigar, do you just toast it until it's evenly black along the foot, or do you get the whole thing red enough so when you blow it, you get an even, glowing red along the whole foot.
> 
> ...


Sounds like the cigar was over humidified to me .:help:
Try lowering the R/H a bit wait a couple of weeks try again.:bored:

But if you think its still the way your lighting here you go.:focus:

"Tobacco will absorb any aroma or fragrance that it comes in contact with. Paper and sulfur based matches or the use of a fluid based lighter can leave the cigar with an unpleasant taste. The preferred method to light a cigar is the use of a butane based lighter. A lit wooden match can be used once it has burned off the chemicals used in the ignition process.
Once the cigar is cut, hold the open end of the cigar over your flame and slowly rotate it. This will "Toast" the cigar and prime it for lighting. While it is still warm, place the cigar in your mouth and hold it at a 45° angle over the flame. Slowly puff and rotate the cigar while maintaining slight contact with the flame. A Good cigar will light easy and burn evenly."


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

triad47 said:


> Gary, what are you using for a soft flame lighter?


BuyLighters.com - Double Flames Slide Lighter

I bought one about 3 months ago and it works so well that I bought 2 more. I like it because I can use the soft flame and if there is a lot of wind out I use the torch. The best of both worlds. I use 5x butane and this thing fires up every time like my Ronsons. I use to use my Ronson all the time but now I use my soft flame for every day and love it as I don't use up all of my butane toasting like I used to.


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## Jimbo57 (Aug 15, 2009)

Great advice here!


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## bigdaddysmoker (Jul 2, 2009)

a little off the original topic, but i am reading that people cut the cigar, take a draw and if not ready put it back in the humi? this doesn't cause problems later? 

back to topic

my lighting ritual goes a little like this. i cut, prelight draw, smell, mmmm. then, using a ronson jet lighter i toast the foot by keeping the flame off the cigar and i turn the cigar as i do this. then i blow on it, if the entire foot isn't glowing i torch some more. i do this til it all glows red when i blow on it. then i blow through the cigar for a few seconds and allow the cherry to cool down. this takes a while after getting it good and glowing red. then i take my first draw.


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## ghe-cl (Apr 9, 2005)

Richard - I would tend to agree that the ammonia taste is likely from the cigar, but the burned taste certainly could come from too much heat during the lighting process. Lately, I've been using cedar spills a lot to light my smokes. I find it adds a nice cedar flavor to the first couple of puffs, and, equally important, the flame is not so hot and nearly eliminates the prospect of burning the tobacco at the start.


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## bigd618 (Dec 10, 2009)

I'm with ghe - cedar spills are a great way to light without damaging the cigar. 

I like the Davidoff cedar matches too.


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## Padron (Dec 20, 2009)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Sounds like the cigar was over humidified to me .:help:
> Try lowering the R/H a bit wait a couple of weeks try again.:bored:
> 
> But if you think its still the way your lighting here you go.:focus:
> ...


Agreed. If you toast the edge evenly, while rotating the cigar, before lighting the filler tobacco, you will minimize your chance of burn issues.


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## minicooper (Oct 3, 2009)

Thank you everyone! The information has really shed some light on the situation and has encouraged me to look forward to my next stick again. 

When I did pull out the stick (I had it in a humi pouch) it did seem a little soft, but I thought that could only give me burn issues. I didn't know that it could have an effect on the flavor as well.

Side note: I can't wait until the winter is over so I can smoke more often, smoke more comfortably and so the humidity will come back up.

Thanks again.


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## camaro (Dec 2, 2009)

I agree with lighting my cigars is one of the most difficult part of this hobby for me. I hve had a hard time getting perfect lights without having to retouch. After 30 or 40 smokes I am much better at it than when I started. I look forward to it now so I can see how I do. I would love to see your videos Isaac. I always like learning something new.


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## triad47 (Oct 27, 2009)

I bought one Gary


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

bigdaddysmoker said:


> a little off the original topic, but i am reading that people cut the cigar, take a draw and if not ready put it back in the humi? this doesn't cause problems later?
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## Snake Hips (May 30, 2008)

bigdaddysmoker said:


> a little off the original topic, but i am reading that people cut the cigar, take a draw and if not ready put it back in the humi? this doesn't cause problems later?


Think about it in question format. What problem would that cause?


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